academicus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [a.kaˈdeː.mɪ.kʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [a.kaˈdɛː.mi.kus]^[1]

Forms

acadēmicus (feminine acadēmica, neuter acadēmicum); first/second-declension adjective^[1] As a proper adjective it is written Acadēmicus.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀκαδημικός (akadēmikós, “of the Academy”), from ⟨Akadēmeia⟩, the place at Athens where Plato taught.^[1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Cicero, whom he dates 81–43 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant of the Academy, of Academic philosophy, and dealing with the views of the Academy, as in Cicero's Acadēmica; as a noun it meant an Academic philosopher, of the Old or the New Academy.^[2] Gellius uses Acadēmicī philosophī.^[3]

British Medieval Latin used it for Platonic, Platonist, and of the scholars at Charlemagne's court.^[6] It gave English academic in the 1580s, “relating to an academy; scholarly”.^[4]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[5][2]
• c. 165 AD – Gellius uses it.^[3][5]
• 1580s – English academic is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of the Academy, Academic.^[2]

Noun

1. An Academic philosopher.^[2]

Related words

• Acadēmīa
• English academic
• English academy

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press